Once-Paralyzed Athlete Wins Office in NJ

A former Penn State football player who made an inspirational recovery from a paralyzing game injury 11 years ago has won elected office in New Jersey.

Adam Taliaferro and two other Democrats won seats Tuesday on the Gloucester County Board of Freeholders.

The Voorhees native suffered a severe spinal cord injury in 2000 while making a tackle for the Nittany Lions. Doctors feared he would never walk again.

But Taliaferro, now 29, recovered and graduated from Penn State before getting a law degree from Rutgers-Camden.

Taliaferro ran with Democrats Heather Simmons and Lyman Barnes. They defeated Republicans Barb Capelli, Penni Heritage and Mike Pantaleo.

If Republicans had won two of the seats, they would have taken control of the seven-member freeholder board.